Alternating-current motor.



E. F. W. ALEXANDERSON.

ALTBRNATING CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.19, 1911.

1,060,731 Patented May 6, 1913.

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lrwenGor: C W Ernsi? FWAIexanderson E. P. W. ALEXANDERSON. ALTERNATING CURRENT MOTOR. APPLIUATION FILED OCT. 19, 1911. 1,060,731 Patented May 6, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIC/E,

ERNST F. W. ALEX ANDERSON, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ALrEaNArINo-cUnnnNr moron.

Patented May 6, 1913.

Application filed October 19, 1911. Serial No. 685,479.

To all whom it may concern. 1 I

Be it known that I, ERNST F. W. ALEX- ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alternating-Current Motors, of which the followin is a specification.

y invention relates to alternating current motors for operation from a singlephase source of supply and particularly to polyphase motors used in conjunction with phase converters for changing the singlephase current from the source to polyphase current for the motor.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, efiicient, and compact combination of motor and converter arranged for permitting the converter to start under no load and when up to speed to assist the motor in driving its load.

My invention comprises a number of features which will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows somewhat diagrammatically a cross-sectional view of a motor and converter arranged in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a mechanicaldetail; Fig. 3 is a diagram of winding connections; Fig. 4; shows a modified arrangement of the stator windings; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic development of the winding arrangement of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional View of the conductors in ,one slot of the stator.

In Fig. 1, A and B represent the stators of a motor and phase converter respectively.

The stator or primar windings are represented by a and b. g and D represent the respective rotors ofthe motor and converter, both of which are shown as of the squirrelcage type. The converter rotor D is loosely mounted on the motor shaft 0 so that it may start freely. This rotor is capable of a limited movement in an axial direction, and when moved to the right, as in Fig. 1, it ongages a clutch member 41, so as to be clutched to the motor shaft and to assist the motor in driving the load. This axial movement of the converter rotor is dependent on the torque of the motor. While the converter is starting light the motor has no torque,

direction, as viewed from the right hand end of the shaft in Fig. 1. This presses the cam surface F on the motor rotor against a roller 7 carried on a collar G which is fast to the shaft. The motor rotor thus turns a certain amounton the shaft and at the same time is pressed to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, by the action of the cam surface and roller. This presses the converter rotor D to the right into engagement with the clutch mem ber 03, so that the rotor D is connected to the motor shaft through a slipping friction clutch and helps to start the load. .The pressure of the converter rotor on the clutch member (2 is dependent on the motor torque; thus as the motor starts and develops an increasing torque in coming up' to speed, the pressure on the clutch member is increased and the slipping reduced, until, when the. motor is up to speed, the clutch ceases to slip and the two rotors run at the'same speed, dividing the load between them.

' A motor designed in this way cannot break down like an ordinary induction motor because the very fact that the torque would decrease means that the clutch would be correspondingly released. If the machine were overloaded, so as to slow the motor down and reduce its torque, the pressure on the clutch would be decreased so that the converter armature would come up to full speed and carry whatever torque the motor is able to deliver through the slipping clutch.

In this way maximum torque can be carried on the motor all the way to a standstill and the motor will speed up under maximum torque as soon as the load allows it.

In order to prevent the action of the cam surface F from leaving the converter rotor wedged tightly against the clutch surface 03 tvhen the current is thrown 01f and the machine is stopped, a compression spring 9 (best shown in Fig. 2) may be provided hetween the motor rotor C and the fixed collar G so as to return them to-the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 whenever current is thrown off. The pressure on the clutch surface is thus released so that the converter rotor may start freely the next time current is applied to the machine. In

and b are connectedin series to the source of supply. The circuit oi. hase b of the converter winding is provi ed with a switch J through whic it may be connected to the source through a non-inductive resistance H for 'startin or to phase a of the motor for rlmning. ith the switch J inthe starting position, that is, connecting winding b to resistance H, the converter starts like a split phase motor, the motor winding a serving as reactance in series with phase I) of the converter. When the converter is up to speed the switch J is thrown to its other position thereby connecting phase 6' of the converter in series with phase a of the motor. With this latter connection the phase converter serves to change the single-phase current derived from the source to two-phase current for o erating the motor. Since the windings of t e two machines are thus connected 1n series for running, a single winding formed of coils common to both stators may be employed in the place of the indegendent stator windings shown in Fig. 1. uch an arrangement of common coi s is shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. These coils extend across 'both stators and comprise in effect two windings; one, e, consisting of coils of a comparatively large number of turns for connection to the source, thus corresponding to windings a and I) combined in Fig. 3, and the other, e, which corresponds to windings a, and b combined in Fig. 3,

and which needs have only a few turns as is indicated most clearly in Fig. 6. The coils of both windings extend across both stators but between the stators they are bent in a circumferential direction and the coils 6 shown in full lines in the diagrammatic development in Fig. 5, are bent in the opposite direction to that in which the coils e, shown in dotted lines, are bent. This has the efiect of producing a relatively opposite displacement of the two phases of the'two stators. This is necessary if the rotors are to revolve in the same direction and one machine is to act as a generator, that is, a phase converter, and the other as a motor.

Instead of em loying the method of starting, shown in used, as for instance, shading coils on the stator of the converter. Such coils are indicated by dot and dash lines at K in Fig. 5. These shading coils serve, as it is well un- Fig. 3.

ig. 3, other means may be torque which enables t e converter to start running free and to come up tospeed.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but aim in the appended claims to cover all modifications w ich are within the scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and 'desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In combination with a single. phase source of supply, a polyphase motor, a phase 2. In combination with a single phase source of supply, a polyphase motor, a phase converter converting single phase current from the source to polyphase current for the motor, and means controlled by the torque of the motor for mechanically connecting'the rotor of the converter to assist the motor in driving the load. v

3. In combination with a single phase source of supply, a polyphase motor, a phase converter having its rotor loosely mounted on the motor shaft, and a clutch for connecting said rotor to said shaft.

4. In combination with a single phase source of supply, a polyphase motor, a phase converter having its rotor loosely mounted on the motor shaft and a clutch controlled by the torque of the motor for connecting said rotor to said shaft.

5. In combination with a single phase source of supply, a polyphase motor, a phase converter havin its rotor loosely mounted on the motor s aft and capable of axial movement thereon, a clutch actuated by the axial movement of said rotor for connecting said rotor to said shaft, and automatic means controlled by the motor torque for moving said motor axially.

6. In combination with a single phase source of supply, a polyphase motor, a phase converter having olyphase windings, one phase of-said wlndings being connected in series with one phase of said motor, means for alternately establishing starting connections for another phase of said windings and connecting it to another phase of said motor, and means for mechanically connecting the rotor of the converter to assist the motor in driving the load.

7. In combination with a single phase source of supply, a polyphase motor, a phase converter having polyphase windings, one phase of said wlndings. being connected in series with one phase of said motor, means for alternately establishing startin connections for another phaseof said win ings and connecting it to another phase of said motor, and means controlled by the motor torque for mechanically connecting the rotor of the ings alternately to said source through said converter to assist the motor in driving the resistance for starting and to another phase load. of said motor for running.

8. In combination with a single phase In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 5 source of supply, a polyphase motor, a phase my hand this 17th day of October, 1911.

converter having olyphase windings, one

phase of said w1n ings-being connected in ERNST HENDERSON series with one phase of said motor, a non- Witnesses:

inductive resistance, and means for connect- BENJAMIN B. HULL,

10 ing another phase of said converter wind- HELEN ORFORD. 

